ATLANTA, GA – Emilio Ruffin has to make music. It’s more than just an urge or a fun pastime to pursue. Music is part of his DNA, and he considers it his purpose in life to make music on a daily basis.

“It’s just part of me,” said the Miami, Florida native who’s been making hip-hop music professionally for the past decade. “My family have a lot of reggae bands and Hispanic-influenced music, so I saw people in music my whole life growing up. My father is a singer, as well. But even without that I think I’d still be making music because it’s just what I love to do. Even if I’m not making an album, I’d want to collaborate with other artists or be a songwriter and producer. I just want to take music as far as it’ll let me go. I don’t want any boundaries or limits. The sky is limit.”

It’s that mentality that Ruffin brings to his most recent project – an album called “Luv N Lust” that was released last last year and has been getting positive reviews nationwide throughout 2016. Ruffin said the album is filled with songs that are filled with multiple storylines that just about anybody can relate to. He describes his unique sound as dark R&B, hip-hop and reggae all mixed together.

“It’s full of songs that have a whole bunch of things that people can relate to,” Ruffin said. “No matter what age you are – high school on up – you can really relate with something on this album.”

Ruffin said the album took about two years go complete, and he gives a lot of credit for the completion of the album to his producer, JVique. He and Vick have worked together quite a bit in the past, and since Ruffin began dropping mix tapes in 2012 – along with three short Eps – he has been seeing a lot of positive buzz from friends and fans. As his music has grown in popularity, the buzz via social media has spread nationwide, and he’s anxious to see how many more eyes and ears he can get his music in front of.

He said the main single off the album, “Go Up,” is the best way for new people to be introduced to his music. It’s a party vibe, he said, that talks about every conceivable situation in which someone might want to just cut loose and have fun.

“If it’s the weekend – like a Friday night – then you’re gonna ‘Go Up’ and have fun,” he said. “It’s just another term for celebrating and kicking back with some good friends and vibing out. It’s totally a Bob Marley inspired song.”

Ruffin said he’s working on booking a tour that’ll start in early 2017. Fans can find out more about his live performances by following him on social media on Twitter and Instagram, or by checking out his website at MrRuffinsNO.com. Fans can also sample his music on his Soundcloud page.